TRADE UNIONS fighting the ending of Jaguar production in Coventry
have organised a mass demonstration. It will start from Coventry’s
Millennium Square, by the city’s motor museum at 10.30am on Saturday 27
November.
Dave Griffiths, Coventry Socialist Party
If the struggle to save Jaguar is unsuccessful, then a motor museum
will be virtually all we have left of a motor industry. So it is vital
that there is a big turnout from Coventry workers and trade unionists
around the country.
Since the announcement to end Jag production here, more job losses
are coming to light. Tony Murphy of the Amicus union said that the job
cuts announced are: "Just the tip of the iceberg. We know already
that the 400 wood-trimming jobs which Ford says will remain at Browns
Lane are being touted around Europe. More jobs than were initially
announced will go from Castle Bromwich."
Ford have tried to cover their backside about plant closures. They
claim that keeping a few hundred wood veneer workers, while ending car
production with 1,200 jobs losses does not amount to a plant closure!
But as the touting of that work around Europe shows, that promise is not
worth a jot.
The bosses are trying to deflect decisive trade union action, such as
strikes and occupations against closure and/or dodge any government
pressure.
This is exactly what the last major industrial employer to close down
in Coventry, Massey Ferguson did. They claimed 200 jobs would be safe,
got the rest of the plant closed more easily, and of course the 200 jobs
soon went. The Massey’s site is now designated for housing.
This mustn’t happen at Jaguar. Trade union leaders have pointed out
that Britain could stop building the Jag altogether. They fear that the
Whitley research and development plant and another Jaguar sites are
likely to close within 18 months. What would then stop Ford moving
Jaguar production out of the UK?
Ford have already admitted that some jobs will go at Whitley. They
haven’t decided how many and when.
There is huge concern that Coventry will be left with no skilled or
well-paid jobs. The local council plans to cut bin-workers wages by
around £5,000 a year. A New Labour representative has pointed out that
they: "No longer have to compete for labour with the car
factories."
That’s why the Jag workers’ fight is every Coventry worker’s fight.
The demonstration will mark the start of a wider fight back. As will
Jaguar workers considering industrial action against this greedy
multinational’s plan.
Jaguar has received £80 million of public money since 1995, yet we
are told it will cost £78 million to close Browns Lane.
Trade unions also have to look at the wider question of ownership of
companies. As long as big multinationals can treat workforces and
companies as disposable, nobody’s future is secure.
Socialists will try to ensure this battle becomes part of an ongoing
campaign to get rid of the system that wastes skills and productive
capacity and brings insecurity to the lives of tens of thousands. A
system that milks dry the labour of working people and then
unceremoniously looks to dump them.
A publicly owned Jaguar could be one foundation stone of a planned
socialist economy that could provide quality goods and services for the
working people of this country and use the talents of its working
people.
